European institutions: how does it work? (Part 1)

This week, the European citizens will vote to elect their 751 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) for the five coming years. In 2014, the British citizens will vote on Thursday 22nd May and the French citizens will vote on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th May (because of the jet-lag French citizens from Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guyana, French Polynesia, St Martin, St Barthelemy and St Pierre et Miquelon will vote on Saturday 24th May and the French citizens from metropolitan France, Reunion, Mayotte, New Caledonia and Wallis and Fortuna will vote on Sunday 25th May).

I propose that we follow this event through three articles with the following topics:

1. The European institutions;

2. The role of the European Parliament;

3. The results of the elections in the EU and their consequences.

Today, I will try to unravel the mystery of the seven European institutions. These institutions are:

 

1. The European Parliament;

2. The European Council;

3. The Council of the European Union;

4. The European Commission;

5. The European Central Bank;

6. The European Court of Auditors;

7. The Court of Justice of the European Union.

1. The European Parliament
The European Parliament brings together MEPs who are elected every five years by the citizens of the European Union in order to be their representatives.

The European Parliament has a legislative power, which means the MEPs examine and adopt the European laws and the EU budget in co-decision with the Council of the European Union. Furthermore, The European Parliament supervises the other European institutions to ensure their proper functioning.

2. The European Council
The European Council is chaired by Herman Van Rompuy and it brings together the Heads of State and Governments from the 28 Member States, the President of the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

The European Council defines the general guidelines and the EU policies, and it can take decisions at a European level as required by an exceptional political situation.

3. The Council of the European Union
The Council of the European Union brings together the ministers from the governments of each Member State in order to adopt European laws and make sure the EU policies are respected.

The Council of the EU signs agreements with partner countries, approves the EU budget in co-decision with the European Parliament, defines the EU foreign and defence policy and it makes sure that the courts and police of the Member States work together.

4. The European Commission
The European Commission is composed of 28 European Commissioners (one for each Member State) including a President, all chosen by the European Council for five years. The President allocates a specific area to each Commissioner. Since the beginning of his first mandate in 2004, José Manuel Barroso chairs the European Commission.

The European Parliament approves the appointment of the President of the European Commission and supervises this institution in order to ensure their proper functioning.

The European Commission presents proposals for EU laws to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, makes sure that the EU laws and policies are respected and manages the budget adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. The European Commission is also the representative of the EU at the international level.

NOTE: In 2014, the results of the elections for the European Parliament will influence the appointment of the new President of the European Commission who will be elected by MEPs from now.

5. The European Central Bank
The European Central Bank (ECB) manages the Euro, the EU’s single currency, and aims at guaranteeing the price stability in the Euro-zone in order to maintain the purchasing power.

6. The European Court of Auditors
The European Court of Auditors aims at the proper management of the EU’s finances and the publishing of a report on the expenditures and revenues of the European institutions.

7. The Court of Justice of the European Union
The Court of Justice of the European Union makes sure that the EU laws are uniformly applied in each Member State. The Court arbitrates the disagreements between the governments of the Member States and the European institutions. Any EU citizen or any EU business or organisation can bring a case before the Court of Justice of the European Union if they consider that their rights have been flouted by one of the European institutions.

Source : http://europa.eu/about-eu/institutions-bodies